The Spiritus Scholars Program
The Spiritus Scholars program promotes individualized learning paths and processes by providing a unique opportunity for students to engage in an inquiry-based research endeavor of their own design. The program fosters intellectual growth and leadership by allowing students to pursue personal passions. Under the guidance of the program coordinator, faculty advisors and off-campus mentors, students pose questions, pursue answers, and develop connections and opportunities for life beyond SPSG.
What is the Spiritus Scholars Program?
A two-year exploratory program for juniors and seniors that empowers students to develop a research question in a field of interest, from entrepreneurship to environmental science, from social justice to sociology, from physics to philosophy, and from medicine to management. Students pursue solutions with the support of a faculty advisor and an off-campus expert, who serves as a mentor.
Program Structure
JUNIOR YEAR: FALL
Research Methodology
Sound research methods provide the basis for inquiry and discovery, moving the cohort from the realm of opinions into the realm of understanding, critical thinking, robust research skills, and group collaboration. This course, the first in the two-year program, is designed to introduce students to the process of developing a question that, by the conclusion of each scholar’s senior year, has a novel solution. The scholars will conduct subject-specific research, hone their voices through both written and oral communication, and draft a detailed and innovative research proposal. Students will learn about the cyclical nature of varying modes of research and the iterative process of scholarly writing and project management.
JUNIOR YEAR: SPRING
Research Proposal
After completing one semester of Research Methods, students will draft a research proposal. Once a question or hypothesis has been developed, students work with the Scholars coordinator to identify mentors and curate a customized syllabus, which may include industry visits, enrollment in enrichment MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course), attending related speakers and workshops, and more.
Senior YEAR
Capstone Project
During senior year, Scholars begin to fine tune their research questions and the presentation of their research. Research culminates in the successful presentation of findings and solutions in a community forum.
Testimonials
“Scholars is the only class I have ever taken that allows students with entirely different interests, backgrounds, and opinions to work together in such a cohesive way. The class encourages open and authentic discussions to build on the ideas of others. Scholars provides an outlet for students to pursue their passions to build a project that they feel deeply connected to, making it entirely different from the typical classroom setting. In addition to a unique approach to developing an impactful project, Scholars allows students to form a deep bond in a safe, collaborative space that welcomes all ideas equally. This allows members of the cohort to discover their true self and create a lasting impact that they can carry with them in the future.”
—Kayleigh Wyatt ’23
“The two years I spent in SPIRITUS Scholars were eye-opening for me as a student, a peer, and a person. Scholars helped me view myself and others differently, and I realized the major I wanted to pursue in college through this program. I also learned the importance of doing research and analyzing facts, as well as how to interview people. Most of all, I learned the power of collaboration with others and have never worked more closely with my peers than in our Scholars cohort.”
—Ashanti Jowers ’22
“I knew I was passionate about animal activism, but I was still determining where my focus would land. As I narrowed my options, I discovered my love for sharks. During my project on shark conservation, I not only connected with an international expert on sharks, but also had the opportunity to go shark tagging with graduate students in Miami! As a result, I’ll be studying marine biology in college at University of Miami.”